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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28726140">only fools are satisfied</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/crashing_meteors/pseuds/crashing_meteors'>crashing_meteors</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Angst, Humor, Parental Hondo Ohnaka, Suicidal Thoughts, Swearing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:48:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28726140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/crashing_meteors/pseuds/crashing_meteors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>No one really knows why Boba likes Hondo - probably because he's the polar opposite of Jango. And Hondo, try as he might, can't help the growing soft spot for Jango's orphaned son. The rational, reasonable, sensible thing to do, would be to send Boba off with the Jedi and not get tangled up in whatever nonsense the boy has gotten himself into. Unfortunately for Hondo, the words 'rational', 'reasonable', and 'sensible' aren't in his vocabulary.</p><p>-</p><p>Just another Hondo-adopts-Boba au.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Boba Fett &amp; Hondo Ohnaka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>only fools are satisfied</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The young Jedi’s voice crackles through the master’s commlink, and Hondo keeps up his rather excellent charade of disinterest.</p><p>“Master! I’ve found the men but they’re hurt, I need your help-“</p><p>The telltale groan of a man in great pain echoes in the background as the Padawan attempts to comfort him. Plo Koon is practically out the door when he seems to remember his young prisoner, casting a stern look in Hondo’s direction. Then again, Hondo’s never seen a Jedi look anything but stern, what he would give to get a little spotchka in Kenobi-</p><p>“I trust he’ll be here when I get back?” the Jedi master says in his gravelly voice. Hondo doesn’t even bother feigning insult, he just waves his hand flippantly.</p><p>“Yes, yes yes yes, I have no interest in meddling with Jedi anymore, you’re far too violent for my, ah, delicate tastes.”</p><p>And there’s no profit in it, no profit at all. Plo Koon continues to stare, however, apparently still unsatisfied. Boba glances at Hondo curiously, dried tears staining his cheeks in a most undignified manner. Hondo sighs loudly - Aurra never did like to clean up her messes.</p><p>“You have my word, I will not free this boy. Or sell him. Or enslave him. Or use him in something I am considering calling Life-Sized Dejarik-“</p><p>“Just keep an eye on him,” Plo Koon says tiredly, and Hondo shoves Nok, the pirate next to him.</p><p>“You heard the Jedi,” he says to Nok, “keep an eye on him!”</p><p>Nok nods to Hondo, then to the Jedi, then to Boba, and Plo Koon leaves in a fluttering of brown. For an order so fond of capes, you’d think they’d have settled on more interesting colors. Boba watches the Jedi leave with the same calculating eyes his father had, and Hondo can practically hear the gears turning in the boy’s head. He considers staying with Nok and watching the boy himself, just to be sure there’s no trouble, and then remembers he had more important things to be doing today.</p><p>“I cannot believe we finally managed to get those Bith musicians to Florrum, and I spend half of their performance dealing with this!” Hondo groans, gesturing about him. “I’ll be in the banquet hall, enjoying my well-deserved entertainment, and getting dangerously drunk.”</p><p>Nok moves to join him, but remembers himself at the last second, hanging his head miserably and resuming his job of guarding Boba.</p><p>“Oh, lighten up, my good man,” Hondo says happily, clapping his fellow pirate on the shoulder. “I shall tell you all about it later!”</p><p>Laughing uproariously, Hondo leaves his crewmate and his friend’s son alone, and comforts himself with the knowledge that a few drinks will dull his creeping guilt considerably.</p><p>-</p><p>-</p><p>-</p><p>He reenters Boba's temporary prison on only slightly swaying feet, the good music and strong liquor giving him the incredible idea to allow the boy to join in on the revelry, but of course, Boba is missing and Nok is a pile of unconscious limbs. Hondo kicks the man a little too aggressively and is greeted with a painful grunt, but Nok remains unconscious.</p><p>"Useless. Useless!" Hondo grumbles, throwing his hands up in exasperation and accidentally spilling a little of his drink. "I ask so little, and still I get nothing. And what do you expect me to tell the scary Jedi happened to Boba, hmm?"</p><p>Nok responds by continuing to not wake up, which Hondo takes as a personal insult, so he kicks the man again.</p><p>"It's your head if he's gotten off-world," Hondo mutters, stomping off to the dock to look for the missing boy. "Bested by a child. What has become of us?"</p><p>He does a quick count the moment he's outside - the ships are all there, as far as he can tell, and only three speeders are missing - that's Aurra and the two Jedi. Still, he's a crafty one, this Boba. Hondo knows that he could call out his men and have them sweep the area, but the softer part of him hopes he can sort this out quietly. He's seen a thousand lost children in his lifetime, and no matter how he tries to numb the feeling, it stings every time.</p><p>A clanking sound echoes to his left, and sure enough, he spots a small figure in a salvaged republic fighter. They still haven't gotten around to fixing up the ship's control panel, but it would seem young Boba's got plans to work around that particular problem. It's impressive, really, that the boy is thinking so far ahead. The republic likely marked the fighter as downed, and Hondo certainly wouldn't miss the thing enough to chase after it if Boba left the system. Hondo does not let himself be proud - he can't afford to get attached. Things are tenuous enough with the Jedi as it is. If he ever hopes to cheat them out of anything, he's got to keep it civil.</p><p>Hondo moves as lightly as he can to the fighter, ducking his head low, and then, patting the sides of the battered ship, finds the spot where the inner mechanism tends to stick and slams his fist against the laminasteel.</p><p>The hatch pops open with a sharp hiss, and Boba's head pops up with it. He looks around wildly, rusted harris wrench in hand, before spotting Hondo leaning against the starfighter and grimacing.</p><p>"I don't suppose you're fixing this up for me out of the kindness of your heart, eh Boba?" The boy snarls - actually snarls, like some sort of disgruntled lothcat, and Hondo almost giggles at the sound.</p><p>"I'm getting off this rock and getting my revenge," Boba says through gritted teeth, resuming his work on the control panel. The screen flashes and for a panicked moment, Hondo thinks Boba might actually succeed in his escape plan, but it quickly dies out with a pathetic flicker.</p><p>"And how will you do that?" Hondo asks him pointedly, climbing up the ship and sitting on the side, allowing himself to invade Boba's personal space. It's clear the young bounty hunter still has his reservations about murder, so Hondo hopes his precarious presence will make Boba think twice about taking off.</p><p>"I don't know. I'll crash the ship into their stupid temple if I have to," Boba mutters. "But I'm going to kill Mace Windu."</p><p>"No," Hondo tells him sternly, reaching over to hold the panel in place while Boba messes with the wiring, "you'll kill many, many people, yourself included, but not Mace Windu. Think, Boba. He's a general, he'll be at war."</p><p>"Then I'll find his command ship again!" Boba argues, jamming the wires together and shocking himself, but the boy doesn't even seem to feel it. "I've done it before!"</p><p>"You think they'll let you onboard again?" Hondo presses, swatting at the boy to switch places so that Hondo is beneath the controls while Boba holds the panel in place. "No, no, no - they'll up security, they'll have your face plastered across the galaxy-"</p><p>"Already is," Boba mumbles bitterly, and Hondo thinks it's kind of presumptuous of Boba to assume the republic works that fast, but hey, confidence is important when you're young.</p><p>"Let's say you get on the ship, let's say you find the Jedi," Hondo continues, ignoring him as he finishes the wiring and motions for Boba to hit the panel with his tool. "What then, Boba, hm? Tell me, please, how will you kill this Jedi? Believe you me - I would love to know!" Really, he'd love to know - they can be awfully meddlesome when they feel like it.</p><p>"I don't know!" Boba yells, slamming the wrench against the control panel, and his face is illuminated when the cracked screen finally sparks to life. But Boba is leaning over the cockpit from outside the ship, and Hondo is the one within, and the pirate captain watches the boy's face as he realizes he's been tricked out of his escape plan.</p><p>"I know," Hondo says quietly, sitting up and staring Boba straight in the eyes. "You'll be dead. Dead, or if you're very, very lucky, left in a cell to rot."</p><p>Boba looks away. Hondo ignores the painful way his chest constricts when he realizes that the boy is crying again.</p><p>"You're wrong," he says wetly, wiping roughly at the freshly-fallen tears.</p><p>"Boba," Hondo sighs, flexing his hand a little before gingerly placing it on Boba's shoulder. The boy sags at the touch. "I know these people. A little too well, in fact. And you cannot beat them. Go with the Jedi, Boba, and they will be fair. And you - you, my boy, will live."</p><p>"I don't care about that," Boba says, swallowing thickly. "If what you say is true - if I can't avenge my father..." Boba hiccups, pausing the rubbing of his eyes to look at Hondo.</p><p>"If I can't avenge my father, I might as well die."</p><p>It shouldn't be very surprising, hearing Boba talk in this manner. He got mixed up with Aurra, after all, and no matter how charming she can be, Hondo knows from experience she's not the kind of woman you associate with unless you've hit rock-bottom. But the surety, the bluntness, the empty look on the boy's face, cuts through every single tangled vine of apathy Hondo has cultivated over his heart until they're withered into nothing.</p><p>This is a bad idea. This is a <i>very</i> bad idea. </p><p>But Hondo's made a career out of bad ideas - what's one more?</p><p>"Shut up. I'm thinking. Shut up."</p><p>"I'm not saying anything-" Boba protests, but Hondo waves him away, shooing him off the side of the ship and exiting the cockpit himself.</p><p>"What did I just say, eh?" Hondo grumbles, pacing beside the starfighter. Boba's eyes flit over to the empty ship, and Hondo slams the same spot as before, allowing the hatch to close, just so the kid doesn't get any ideas.</p><p>"Fine. You're twisting my arm here, you know that?" Hondo says, poking Boba lightly in the chest. "It's disgraceful, manipulating an old man like this-"</p><p>"What are you talking about?" Boba asks in bewilderment, and Hondo doesn't miss the way he creeps closer to the starfighter.</p><p>"Ah ah ah!" Hondo scolds him, stepping between Boba and the newly-refurbished ship, much to the boy's disappointment. "If I help you - if! - you must swear to me you will not take any of my hard-earned property. You must swear you'll give up this ridiculous, and not to mention dangerous, quest of vengeance."</p><p>Boba doesn't say anything, but he finally seems to catch up with Hondo's brain, if the utterly furious look on his face is any indication.</p><p>"And most importantly, Boba," Hondo says as sternly as he can, but there's no real edge. Gently, he places both hands on Boba's shoulders and meets the boy's eyes. "You must swear to me you will not end your life. I'm taking a big risk on you, my boy. I expect a return on investment."</p><p>"What about the Jedi?" Boba asks him after a long moment.</p><p>"I'll deal with them - me, not you, understand?"</p><p>Boba gazes back at the starfighter mournfully. There's so much Jango in him, Hondo has to wonder if he has any of his mother, whoever she was.</p><p>"My father..."</p><p>"Listen to me, Boba," Hondo says gently, and Boba meets his eyes once again. "Killing this - this Windu, it will not bring your father back. And getting yourself killed will do nothing to honor him. Stay here, and I'll treat you like one of my own men, yes?"</p><p>It's the best offer he has. Blessedly, Boba inclines his head in agreement.</p><p>"There's a good man," Hondo says, stretching as he stands at full height. "Now, let's shake on it. I believe they call this a gentleman's agreement."</p><p>Boba clasps Hondo's hand for a shake, before retracting it in pain.</p><p>"Ow!" Boba yelps, examining his wrist and finding a tiny puncture. "What was that?"</p><p>"A small sedative, my young friend," Hondo says airily. Boba's jaw drops in shock. "Do not worry - I intend to uphold our agreement. But we must build trust, no? And I, for one, do not trust you!"</p><p>Boba slurs out some sort of argument, but he's already starting to drift off, stumbling forward and into Hondo's arms.</p><p>"You're welcome," Hondo grunts, hoisting the boy over his shoulder. "You know, I am the one who is carried - not the other way around. Don't get used to this kind of treatment, eh? Are all children this heavy, Boba? What a relief I never had any of my own...that I know of! Ha! Well, were you awake, you would have laughed, I am sure."</p><p>-</p><p>-</p><p>-</p><p>"And you have no idea where he is?" Plo Koon asks him, not even bothering to hide his irritation. Not very Jedi-like, in Hondo's opinion.</p><p>"Ask Nok!" Hondo cries, smacking his recently-roused crewmate. He'd made a big show of waking the pirate only after the Jedi had returned to the base - according to Nok, Boba had managed to place him in a chokehold, free himself of the bracers, and then knock the man out with a mean right hook. Hondo had made a mental note to applaud the boy later on.</p><p>"Master, he must be here still," Ahsoka argues. Apparently, she's Skywalker's Padawan. Which makes sense, considering every single thing about her.</p><p>"I'm not so certain, young 'Soka," the master says. "Boba's aura was so full of turmoil, and I sense none of that now. He may have made an escape."</p><p>Despite his accidental brilliance, Hondo manages not to look smug. Hard to be turmoiled when you're in a drug-induced nap.</p><p>"Boss!" his trusty lieutenant, Gwarm, calls, and right on time. "You were right! One of the escape pods is missing!" As well it should be since Hondo had launched the empty pod himself.</p><p>"Aha! The crafty little brat!" Hondo says, sounding appropriately scandalized and inwardly congratulating himself for the performance.</p><p>"Where was it headed?" Plo Koon demands. Hondo motions for Gwarm to tell him.</p><p>"Vanqor. It's the next system over."</p><p>"Vanqor," Ahsoka repeats, and Hondo appreciates that she sounds at least a little concerned. "That place is crawling in gundarks, isn't it?"</p><p>"Then we'd better get Boba before they do," Plo Koon says, nodding stiffly to Hondo before departing.</p><p>"Yes, yes, it was no trouble at all!" Hondo calls sarcastically after them before turning to his men. "It's a thankless job, my friends, appeasing the Jedi, but they're gone at last, eh! Good riddance!"</p><p>"But Boss," Gwarm says to him, "you think they'll give us trouble since we lost the kid?"</p><p>"Trouble? Mmmm - no," Hondo tells the group. "I'll think they'll be too busy on a wild bantha chase. Now, the band, how long do we have them for?"</p><p>"As long as we like," one of his men pipes up. "Goru's got 'em playing the hits at baster-point."</p><p>The men roar with laughter, and Hondo promises to join in on their festivities once he's taken care of some business. When he reaches his quarters, he waits outside the door, tapping his foot impatiently until he hears the familiar sound of a ship's takeoff. </p><p>"Boba," Hondo says quietly, shaking the sleeping boy. "Wake up, now, wake up."</p><p>"What..." Boba sits up sleepily, and for the first time since they've met, Hondo is struck by just how young he looks. He pushes the thought down. "What's going on?"</p><p>"What's going on?" Hondo repeats. "You're missing a party, that's what's going on! Get up, get up, hostages only perform well for so long before they crack under the pressure-"</p><p>"But...where are the Jedi?" Boba asks around a yawn, eyeing the room suspiciously as though Plo Koon and Ahsoka will appear out of a dark corner. "And wait - you drugged me!"</p><p>"I let you get some much-needed rest, is what I did," Hondo replies snappishly. "Honestly, I give and give, and what do I get? Ungrateful Jedi and an ungrateful boy." Boba scrambles away from him, backing against the head of the bed, hands curled into fists. Hondo lets out what he's certain will be the first of many long-suffering sighs thanks to this boy.</p><p>"Boba, the Jedi are gone. I needed you asleep so they wouldn't sense your presence." Did he know that before Plo Koon said so? No, but it certainly sounds better than 'I didn't need your stubborn ass ruining my master plan'. Boba relaxes a little but makes no move to get off the bed.</p><p>"Stay here, if you wish. Don't get comfortable though - this is my room, and I use it for...well, it's none of your business, so stop asking me. Now, I'm going to enjoy the party, because life is short and often cruel, my young friend. We might as well enjoy it when we can."</p><p>Boba remains at the head of the bed, fists uncurled and shoulders slouched, and Hondo stops just short of the door.</p><p>"Unless you'd like to join me, of course," Hondo suggests lightly. "We always celebrate a new addition to the crew. Have you ever had a party thrown in your honor, Boba?"</p><p>Slowly, very slowly, the boy shakes his head.</p><p>"Ah. Shame, then, that you never will," Hondo says sadly, taking care to walk as slowly as possible back towards the banquet hall after he shuts the door behind him. He's barely down the hallway when he hears a beeping and the sound of the bedroom door sliding open. Boba stands as tall as he can, but he is dwarfed by the enormity of the base, his rumpled hair sticking up everywhere.</p><p>"So, you'll join us after all?" Hondo asks him as Boba sidles up alongside him. Hondo wants to reach out and fix the boy's hair but clamps down on the urge. Even with their tentative agreement, Boba scurries about like a nervous animal, ready to jump at any moment. Sudden movements not advised.</p><p>"Better than sitting in your musty room," Boba scoffs, and Hondo gasps in mock-insult.</p><p>"Musty? <em>My</em> room musty? The arrogance, the absolute gall - why, I'll have you know that Weequay men are known for their rather alluring aroma. The only thing musty is your attitude, you ratty little boy-"</p><p>"Alluring aroma?" Boba sniffs. "It smells like a Hutt died in there-"</p><p>"That's it! I'll string you from the flagpole, that's what I'll do, you ungrateful lump - why are you laughing?"</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was just a silly idea I had after watching the first Boba episodes in Clone Wars - I imagine part of Boba's harsh treatment probably came from the Jedi's misconception that he, like the clones, had the mentality of an adult. I was still deeply saddened to learn that he was in an adult's maximum-security prison. Hondo is hardly a model parent, but I, like most of the fandom, believe he's literally only seconds away from adopting every child he meets at all times. I'm not sure if I'll continue this (I definitely want to finish Clone Wars before I get too far), but I have a few ideas going forward!</p><p>Title from Billy Joel's "Vienna".</p></blockquote></div></div>
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